'When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras' - the old adage is well-known to GPs but what should you do when faced with a zebra, not a horse? Consultant cardiologist Professor Robert Tulloh and GP Dr Louise Tulloh kick off our new series with their advice on how to catch Kawasaki disease in general practice.

Substantial fall in primary care antibiotic prescribing

The number of antibiotics prescribed in primary care fell substantially last year, and at a greater rate than other sectors, NHS England has said.

Data showed that between April and December last year, there were 7.9% (2 million) fewer prescriptions in primary care compared to the same period in 2014.

NHS England said that antibiotic prescribing across the NHS reduced by 5.3% between 2015 and 2014 – a total of 2,166,489 fewer items.

It said that within this total there were almost half a million fewer ‘broad spectrum’ antibiotics, which act against a wide range of bacteria and are therefore more likely to cause antibiotic resistance building up.

NHS England pointed to its work, together with Public Health England, to incentivise local areas to reduce antibiotic prescribing as reason behind the fall.

Chief medical officer for England Dame Sally Davies said: ‘Antibiotics are the cornerstone of modern medicine and we need to do all we can to preserve them. I am really pleased to see that, through a focus on prescribing of antibiotics, we have seen such a real reduction in their inappropriate use.’

Public Health England chief executive Duncan Selbie said: ’Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to health in the UK and globally and taking action to combat it is vital.

’I am delighted to see the success of the NHS achieving such a significant reduction.’